VALLEY-VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE
Friday, Aug. 21
Non-District
Juan Diego Academy def. IDEA Quest 25-9, 25-21, 25-16

Mission Varsity Volleyball Tournament
Thursday, August 20
At Mission Veterans Court 1
Game 1: Mission Veterans def. PSJA North 25-6, 25-19
Game 3: Weslaco High def. Hidalgo 25-11, 25-17
Game 5: Brownsville Rivera def. La Joya Palmview 25-21, 25-14
Game 7: PSJA Memorial def. Mercedes 25-20, 25-9
Game 18: Mission Veterans def. Weslaco High 25-6, 25-11
Game 20: PSJA Memorial def. Brownsville Rivera 25-18, 23-25, 15-2
Game 28: Laredo Alexander def. San Benito
Game 30: McAllen Memorial def. Sharyland High 25-20, 25-20
At Mission Veterans Court 2
Game 9: Mission Veterans JV def. Sharyland Pioneer 26-24, 19-25, 15-14
Game 11: Donna North def. Edinburg Economedes 25-19, 25-22
Game 13: Brownsville Lopez def. Rio Grande City 25-14, 25-17
Game 15: Laredo Nixon def. La Joya High 25-11, 25-9
Game 17: PSJA North def. Hidalgo 25-18, 25-11
Game 24: Laredo Nixon def. Brownsville Lopez 25-10, 25-22
Game 29: PSJA High def. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 25-15, 25-10
Game 32: Edinburg High def. Brownsville Veterans 25-22, 25-16
At Mission High Court 3
Game 2: Laredo United South def. Roma 25-20, 17-25, 15-3
Game 4: Mission High def. Harlingen High 25-17, 25-16
Game 6: San Benito def. Grulla 25-12, 25-10
Game 8: Laredo Alexander def. Brownsville Pace 25-14, 25-8
Game 19: Mercedes def. La Joya Palmview 25-13, 25-23
Game 22: Mission Veterans JV def. Donna North 25-16, 25-10
Game 26: Mission High def. Laredo United South 25-15, 29-27
Game 27: Grulla def. Brownsville Pace 27-25, 29-30, 15-14
At Mission High Court 4
Game 10: McAllen Memorial def. PSJA High 25-16, 25-12
Game 12: Sharyland High def. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 25-13, 25-12
Game 14: Edinburg High def. Lyford 25-12, 25-8
Game 16: Brownsville Veterans def. Mission High JV 25-12, 25-8
Game 21: Sharland Pioneer def. Edinburg Economedes 25-12, 25-8
Game 23: La Joya High def. Rio Grande City 19-25, 25-23, 15-10
Game 25: Harlingen High def. Roma 25-17, 25-21
Game 31: Mission High JV def. Lyford 25-18, 26-24

Friday, August 21
At Mission Veterans Court 1
Game 34: Mission Veterans def. PSJA Memorial 25-17, 25-9
Game 36: Mission Veterans JV def. Laredo Nixon 25-10, 25-21
Game 41: Brownsville Rivera def. Weslaco High 25-20, 25-13
Game 43: Laredo United South def. San Benito 25-22, 25-15
Game 45: Brownsville Rivera def. Donna North 23-25, 25-10, 15-7
Game 55: Mission Veterans def. Mission Veterans JV 25-14, 25-14
At Mission Veterans Court 2
Game 33: PSJA North def. Mercedes 25-16, 24-26, 15-14
Game 40: McAllen Memorial def. Edinburg High 25-13, 25-17
Game 42: Donna North def. Brownsville Lopez 25-23, 23-25, 15-14
Game 44: Brownsville Veterans def. Sharyland High 25-16, 25-12
Game 46: Brownsville Veterans def. Laredo United South 25-17, 25-22
Game 48: Edinburg High def. Mission High 25-22, 25-23
At Mission High Court 3
Game 35: Sharyland Pioneer def. La Joya High 25-7, 25-1
Game 38: Laredo Alexander def. Mission High 25-8, 25-17
Game 49: La Joya Palmview def. Hidalgo 25-22, 25-20
Game 51: Roma def. Brownsville Pace 19-25, 25-23, 15-14
Game 53: Sharyland Pioneer def. PSJA North 25-13, 20-25, 15-10
Game 56: McAllen Memorial def. Laredo Alexander 23-25, 30-28, 15-9
At Mission High Court 4
Game 37: Harlingen High def. Grulla 25-14, 25-12
Game 39: PSJA High def. Mission High JV 25-15, 25-18
Game 47: Laredo Nixon def. PSJA Memorial 25-23, 22-25, 15-14
Game 50: Edinburg Economedes def. Rio Garnde City 25-19, 25-17
Game 52: Lyford def. la Joya Juarez-Lincoln 25-22, 25-22
Game 54: Harlingen High def. PSJA High 25-12, 25-19

Saturday, Aug. 22
At Mission Veterans Court 1
Game 57: Sharyland Pioneer def. Harlingen High, Sixth Place Consolation, 9 a.m.
At Mission Veterans Court 2
Game 58: Brownsville Rivera def. Brownsville Veterans, Fifth Place, 9 a.m.
At Mission Veterans Main Court
Game 59: Laredo Nixon vs. Edinburg High, Fourth Place, 10:15 a.m.
Game 60: Mission Veterans JV vs. Laredo Alexander, Third Place, 11:30 a.m.
Game 61: Mission Veterans vs. McAllen Memorial, Championship, 1 p.m.

GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

MISSION — Mission High’s Emily Alvarado knows exactly how Lissete Vela likes her sets: high and close to the net. Playing with a lot of the same players for a third straight season, Alvarado has learned the best way to pass to each of her teammates.

With four seniors and four juniors with three years of varsity experience, that level of familiarity is common up and down the Lady Eagles lineup. Mission High is hoping the bond is enough to get the team back into the playoffs.

“We’ve come a long way since the beginning. We’re not a young team anymore,” Vela said. “We’re kind of comfortable with each other already.”

Seniors Alyssa Olivarez, Kazzy Rodriguez and Michelle Madden all have extensive varsity experience. The junior crop also got a big taste of varsity as freshmen, namely Alvarado, Vela and Maria Garcia.

“We all know how to react to each other,” Rodriguez said. “We all know how to talk to each other. When we’re not on our game, we know what to tell them so they can relax and just focus. It’s a lot easier with the girls that we have right now.”

With time together, Rodriguez said the group has gotten better at believing in itself. During Friday’s match against Edinburg High in the Mission Tournament, the Lady Eagles fell behind 22-10 in the second set before battling back to 24-23. Mission High ultimately lost the match, closing its run through the Mission Tournament at 2-2. The Lady Eagles beat Harlingen High and Laredo United South on Thursday before losing to Laredo Alexander and Edinburg High on Friday.

“We haven’t peaked yet, which is good,” Alvarado said. “We still need improvement, but everything is going great right now.”

Coach Edna Clemons is pleased to see that her team has grown physically over the years, coming back with more height in the front row.

Vela is one of the keys in that group, using her strength to slam down hits with authority — a far cry from her varsity start as a timid freshman.

For Alvarado, the improvement has been vocal, Clemons said. She went from a quiet freshman to a team leader and all-around presence.

She shares setting duties with Garcia, who also had to be molded to keep her power under control.

“At first, her serves were all out,” Clemons said. “It took her a while, but her sophomore year she understood it, and now her junior year, she has flourished.”

The back is anchored by last year’s District 31-5A Outstanding Defensive Specialist/Libero in Rodriguez, who is flanked by Olivarez and Madden. Clemons said Rodriguez’s best attributes are her physical strength, volleyball smarts and determination.

“I never give up on the girls,” Rodriguez said. “I just try my best to help them, and do whatever I can to stop the ball.”

Rodriguez has also become a better communicator and grown more assertive on the back lines. She used to be afraid to move outside of her area, instead deferring to her more experienced teammates. Now, she roams the court freely.

“She learned that really quick, and now the whole back is hers,” Clemons said.

With experience and chemistry across the court, Clemons and the Lady Eagles are hopeful they can compete for another playoff spot. The team went 6-6 in District 30-6A last year to secure fourth place. Mission swept the La Joya schools but could never get a win against the elite McAllen teams.

“I want to play strong against the McAllens — that is our goal,” Clemons said. “To play strong against them and come up with that W.”

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BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — Not long after Joshua McGowen arrived in McAllen near the start of July, he jumped right into McAllen High’s 7-on-7 team.

The senior transfer from Overhills High in Spring Lake, North Carolina quickly proved why he is expected to be an impact player in his first season with the Bulldogs.

“After that, they just knew that I have pure talent, and I’m going to do whatever it takes to work so that I can earn their trust on and off the field,” McGowen said. “I kind of gained their trust, and it’s been good.”

McGowen boasts 4.4-second speed in the 40-yard dash and has proven himself capable as both a rusher and a receiver.

Last season at Overhills, McGowen carried 46 times for 372 yards and three touchdowns while catching 33 passes for 534 yards and five touchdowns.

“He’s explosive. He’s got another gear,” McAllen High coach Kevin Brewer said. “If we can make the holes for him, he has the ability to make the big play.”

McGowen said the offense at Overhills was mostly a shotgun, passing attack, with the majority of the action moving toward the outside. At McAllen High, McGowen expects to be rushing inside more often on running downs, and splitting out to the slot during passing situations to serve as a deep threat.
“It’s good, because I work out a lot with my legs,” McGowen said. “I use my speed, and I combine the two, and it gives me a lot of power coming in. I can run in, and once I see an open hole on the outside, I can bounce it out real quick.”

Brewer said the Bulldogs plan to use McGowen all over the field during his first season: on offense, on special teams, and even on defense. McGowen has the size to hold up as a 40-carry per game back, Brewer said, but McHi would rather find ways to move him around and get him in space.

Learning to fill those roles in a new system hasn’t been an issue for McGowen, who ranks highly in his class and has aspirations of playing in college.

McGowen said his teammates have embraced the transition, helping him fit in from Day 1. He said the group has formed a brotherhood and become close off the field, including bowling trips with linebacker Cody Rodriguez and quarterback Caleb Youngblood. He said Youngblood, Ricky Vega and Darren Moya have been instrumental in him learning the system and understanding his assignment on any given play. Through two-a-days, McGowen has looked right at home.

“He’s been explosive,” offensive lineman Eijah Dames said. “He’s been making plays left and right. He’s been trying to learn the scheme as much as he can, and we’re all helping him out.”

ATHLETIC DEFENSE

Although McAllen High was bringing back just two starters on defense, coach Kevin Brewer knew during the spring that the Bulldogs had the potential to be a faster, more athletic group.

“And I tell you what, I was right,” Brewer said. “We’re fast. We’re physical over there. I’m really excited about our defense. I think that’s going to be a really strong point for us.”

Cody Rodriguez is back at linebacker, and Brewer said he’s been “an animal” in camp. Ruben Gutierrez is McHi’s other returner, although he’s moving from corner to safety.

SOPHOMORE STANDOUT

One of the new starters on the defensive side of the ball will be sophomore Gunnar Henderson, who has already shown Brewer that he can play at the varsity level.

“He’s got the mental toughness, and he’s got the physical ability,” Brewer said. “We knew that in the spring. He’s going to be a good player for a lot of years for us.”

Coming off a busy summer of traveling to various camps and combines around the state, Henderson has improved his footwork and is rarely out of position, Brewer said.

OFFENSIVE LINE

McHi’s players have raved about the improvements the offensive line has made since the spring. The group returns two players in Elijah Dames and Isaiah Leanos, and the three newcomers have started to catch on after earning roles in the spring.

“They’re maturing fast, they’re developing, and they listen,” Dames said.
Dames said he’s stronger than he was last season, and added that Leanos is faster. Dames will be staying at left guard, while Leanos is sliding from guard to right tackle.

McGowen said the offensive line is “unbelievable,” and Youngblood said he sees a huge difference from spring. Rodriguez said he and the defense have faced a more cohesive group that is doing a better job of picking up blitzes.

“I’m really excited about our offensive line,” Brewer said. “If we keep them healthy, they’re going to be pretty decent.”

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==========================

PROGNOSIS

With a big, bruising quarterback in Caleb Youngblood, a dynamic backfield threat in Joshua McGowen and an improving offensive line, McHi should be able to move the ball in 2015. Combined with an inexperienced but more athletic defense, the Bulldogs should be in line for another postseason run.

Projected 2015 record: 8-4

TENURE

Coach: Kevin Brewer

Year at school: Third

Record at McAllen High: 17-6

===========================

Check out more stories from The Monitor’s 16-day Two-A-Day Tour:

Weslaco East

Roma

La Joya High

Weslaco High

PSJA North

Grulla

La Villa

Monte Alto

Valley View

Hidalgo

McAllen Rowe

La Joya Palmview

PSJA Southwest

Mission High

Mercedes

PSJA High

La Joya Juarez-Lincoln

Edinburg Economedes

Edinburg North

Edinburg Vela

Edinburg High

Progreso

Rio Grande City

GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

MISSION — Despite joining the Sharyland Pioneer volleyball team last year as the only freshman on a 14-player roster, setter Audrey Smith quickly took the reins of the offense.

After leading the Lady Diamondbacks in assists and earning District 31-5A newcomer of the year honors, Smith is back to lead a senior heavy roster that has aspirations of winning a district title in 2015.

“She came in nervous last year, because she was a freshman and we had so many upperclassmen,” senior middle hitter Maddie Hatzold said. “She’s adjusted well, she’s a sophomore now, and she’s very good.”

Smith said she didn’t feel any pressure coming into her first season, not after proving herself with success on the club level. Instead, she was nervous about the kind of relationships she would develop with her teammates.

“Sometimes I felt like I was overlooked by a lot of the girls who were older,” Smith said. “I didn’t want to feel really controlling. But that just boosted my leadership skills.”

Coach Laura Cavazos describes Smith as a finesse player with a strong knowledge of the game. One of Smith’s biggest strengths is her ability to communicate with the older players, taking criticism and refining what type of set works well for each player.

Smith also fit well in Pioneer’s fast-paced style of play, Cavazos said.

“She came in and she was really prepared,” Cavazos said. “She knows how to handle those pressure situations that most freshmen kind of fold under. She’s been in leadership roles before, so she really stepped into our offense and did a really good job.”

Coming back for 2015, Smith feels she’s gotten better as a result of experience. Hatzold said she’s seen a more confident setter, a sentiment Cavazos echoed.

“The maturity is definitely there,” Cavazos said. “There’s a trust factor within her teammates. They know what type of player she is, and she’s a go-getter. They’re responding well to that.”

The majority of Pioneer’s players are very familiar with Smith and her style of play after the team graduated just two seniors in 2014.

The current roster features eight seniors, including seven who played on varsity last season. Hatzold and Lopez are the captains, while outside hitter Deandra Garza and defensive specialist Bianca Garza also earned all-district recognition in 2014.

“We connect really well, and we don’t bicker with each other,” senior captain Elise Lopez said. “We have trust in each other. We play really well together.”

The comfort and familiarity has played a big role in the up-and-down start to Pioneer’s season. The team eclipsed last year’s showing with a 5-4 mark last week at the Westwood Showcase in Austin, but also proved capable of lapses in a loss against the Mission Veterans JV team on Thursday to open the Mission Tournament.

Cavazos is hopeful the start of classes will remind the players of the importance of making the most of their senior season.

“They’ve really taken it upon themselves to make sure that their senior year is what they want it to be,” Cavazos said. “We’ve been focusing on that and setting goals, and so I think early on it does help. I think sometimes, I don’t want to say we get overconfident, but we need to push ourselves a little bit more.”

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Mission Varsity Volleyball Tournament
Thursday, August 20
At Mission Veterans Court 1
Game 1: Mission Veterans def. PSJA North 25-6, 25-19
Game 3: Weslaco High def. Hidalgo 25-11, 25-17
Game 5: Brownsville Rivera def. La Joya Palmview 25-21, 25-14
Game 7: PSJA Memorial def. Mercedes 25-20, 25-9
Game 18: Mission Veterans def. Weslaco High 25-6, 25-11
Game 20: PSJA Memorial def. Brownsville Rivera 25-18, 23-25, 15-2
Game 28: Laredo Alexander def. San Benito
Game 30: McAllen Memorial def. Sharyland High 25-20, 25-20
At Mission Veterans Court 2
Game 9: Mission Veterans JV def. Sharyland Pioneer 26-24, 19-25, 15-14
Game 11: Donna North def. Edinburg Economedes 25-19, 25-22
Game 13: Brownsville Lopez def. Rio Grande City 25-14, 25-17
Game 15: Laredo Nixon def. La Joya High 25-11, 25-9
Game 17: PSJA North def. Hidalgo 25-18, 25-11
Game 24: Laredo Nixon def. Brownsville Lopez 25-10, 25-22
Game 29: PSJA High def. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 25-15, 25-10
Game 32: Edinburg High def. Brownsville Veterans 25-22, 25-16
At Mission High Court 3
Game 2: Laredo United South def. Roma 25-20, 17-25, 15-3
Game 4: Mission High def. Harlingen High 25-17, 25-16
Game 6: San Benito def. Grulla 25-12, 25-10
Game 8: Laredo Alexander def. Brownsville Pace 25-14, 25-8
Game 19: Mercedes def. La Joya Palmview 25-13, 25-23
Game 22: Mission Veterans JV def. Donna North 25-16, 25-10
Game 26: Mission High def. Laredo United South 25-15, 29-27
Game 27: Grulla def. Brownsville Pace 27-25, 29-30, 15-14
At Mission High Court 4
Game 10: McAllen Memorial def. PSJA High 25-16, 25-12
Game 12: Sharyland High def. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 25-13, 25-12
Game 14: Edinburg High def. Lyford 25-12, 25-8
Game 16: Brownsville Veterans def. Mission High JV 25-12, 25-8
Game 21: Sharland Pioneer def. Edinburg Economedes 25-12, 25-8
Game 23: La Joya High def. Rio Grande City 19-25, 25-23, 15-10
Game 25: Harlingen High def. Roma 25-17, 25-21
Game 31: Mission High JV def. Lyford 25-18, 26-24

Friday, August 21
At Mission Veterans Court 1
Game 34: Mission Veterans vs. PSJA Memorial, 11:30 a.m.
Game 36: Mission Veterans JV vs. laredo Nixon, 12:45 p.m.
Game 41: Weslaco High vs. Brownsville Rivera, 9 a.m.
Game 43: San Benito vs. Laredo United South, 10:15 a.m.
Game 45: Winner Game 41 vs. Winner Game 42, 2 p.m.
Game 55: Winner Game 34 vs. Winner Game 36, 3:15 p.m.
At Mission Veterans Court 2
Game 33: PSJA North vs. Mercedes, 11:30 a.m.
Game 40: McAllen Memorial vs. Edinburg High, 12:45 p.m.
Game 42: Donna North vs. Brownsville Lopez, 9 a.m.
Game 44: Sharyland High vs. Brownsville Veterans, 10:15 a.m.
Game 46: Winner Game 43 vs. Winner Game 44, 2 p.m.
Game 48: Loser Game 38 vs. Loser Game 40, 3:15 p.m.
At Mission High Court 3
Game 35: Sharyland Pioneer vs. La Joya High, 12:45 p.m.
Game 38: Mission High vs. Laredo Alexander, 11:30 p.m.
Game 49: Hidalgo vs. La Joya Palmview, Guarantee Game, 9 a.m.
Game 51: Roma vs. Brownsville Pace, Guarantee Game, 10:15 a.m.
Game 53: Winner Game 33 vs. Winner Game 35, 2 p.m.
Game 56: Winner Game 38 vs. Winner Game 40, 3:15 p.m.
At Mission High Court 4
Game 37: Harlingen High vs. Grulla, 11:30 a.m.
Game 39: PSJA High vs. Mission High JV, 12:45 p.m.
Game 47: Loser Game 34 vs. Loser Game 36, 3:15 p.m.
Game 50: Edinburg Economedes vs. Rio Grande City, Guarantee Game, 9 a.m.
Game 52: La Joya Juarez-Lincoln vs. Lyford, Guarantee Game, 10:15 a.m.
Game 54: Winner Game 37 vs. Winner Game 39, 2 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 22
At Mission Veterans Court 1
Game 57: Winner Game 38 vs. Winner Game 40, Sixth Place Consolation, 9 a.m.
At Mission Veterans Court 2
Game 58: Winner Game 45 vs. Winner Game 46, Fifth Place, 9 a.m.
At Mission Veterans Main Court
Game 59: Winner Game 47 vs. Winner Game 48, Fourth Place, 10:15 a.m.
Game 60: Loser Game 55 vs. Loser Game 56, Third Place, 11:30 a.m.
Game 61: Winner Game 55 vs. Winner Game 56, Championship, 1 p.m.

Northeast ISD Tournament
Thursday, August 20
At San Antonio
San Antonio Reagan def. Los Fresnos 25-14, 25-14
Alamo Heights def. Los Fresnos 26-24, 25-12
Los Fresnos def. Arlington Seguin 25-17, 25-18

Volley at the Beach
At Port Isabel
Starting at 1 p.m.
Pool 1
Main Gym
PSJA Southwest def. Port Isabel 25-20, 25-21
Progreso def. Santa Rosa 25-16, 23-25, 15-5
Port Isabel def. Progreso 20-25, 25-17, 15-8
PSJA Southwest def. Santa Rosa 24-22, 26-24
PSJA Southwest def. Progreso 25-17, 25-22
Port Isabel def. Santa Rosa 25-22, 20-25, 15-10
Pool 2
Practice Gym
Weslaco East def. Rio Hondo 25-15, 26-6
Austin Ann Richards def. Hanna 20-25, 25-22, 15-2
Austin Ann Richards def. Rio Hondo 25-15, 25-6
Weslaco East def. Hanna 25-15, 25-10
Austin Ann Richards def. Weslaco East 25-12, 25-23, 15-4
Hanna def. Rio Hondo 25-14, 25-13

BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

As Mission High heads toward the season with a new-look, up-tempo offense, coach Mario Pena is wary of giving too much away.

In the team’s debut scrimmage against Weslaco East last week, the Eagles hardly went to the formation, and Pena plans to take a similar approach against Edinburg North on Friday.

But, during the few plays Mission did pick up the pace, Pena said the results were promising.

“We did not show it too much, actually, but when we did we started moving the ball,” Pena said. “Really I think in general, and what I told the kids, our biggest nemesis was ourselves. Making mistakes that we shouldn’t be making. And those are things that of course are correctable, and those are the things we’re working on correcting, the things we can control.”

Who will be quarterbacking that offense is still up in the air, although the competition is down to two. William Arias, who played on varsity last season when starter Jesus Cuellar was injured, graded out the best in the scrimmage, Pena said. Last year’s junior varsity quarterback, Rudy Trevino, is also in the mix to start. Azahel Arizpe will be playing mostly defense, although Pena said he will still get a few touches per game offensively.

The biggest concern coming out of the first scrimmage was that defense, which Pena said was exposed. The Eagles have just four starters back on defense and an almost entirely new front seven.

“We’re doing a lot more hitting drills. We need to get a little more physical,” Pena said. “We made some mistakes but I knew that I had about seven or eight new guys on defense that actually were stepping into that varsity level, and so that’s basically been our challenge all week.”

TAKING IT EASY

La Joya High coach George Espinoza isn’t taking any chances during fall scrimmages. After enduring a few groin and hamstring tweaks during practice, Espinoza has been benching some of his more reliable options during the Coyotes’ preseason exhibitions.

“We felt that we didn’t want them to get banged up before the season starts,” Espinoza said. “It was a pretty rough two a days, with the heat and everything else.”

La Joya held six starters out from its first scrimmage against Brownsville Veterans, and Espinoza said three or four will be on the sidelines when the Coyotes face Mission Veterans on Wednesday.

Although La Joya is in the process of integrating some new tweaks on offense, Espinoza has prioritized keeping his first team healthy over getting them extra reps. This has also allowed Espinoza to give reps to players outside of his normal first team.

“We rotated three quarterbacks, we rotated three running backs and just tired to get a feel of everybody that was out there,” Espinoza said. “I think they did well, they executed well. A few mental mistakes, but that’s expected in the first scrimmage.”

STABLE O-LINE

On top of returning key players at quarterback, running back and wide receiver, McAllen Rowe has almost its entire offensive line back from 2014.

While the offensive line group struggled at times last year, coach Paul Reyes said the Warriors finally settled on a lineup they were comfortable with down the stretch.

“That was one of our areas that we had lost some guys and we had to experiment last year and try to find some guys,” Rowe coach Paul Reyes said. “We ended up moving some guys over. So now, we’re pretty solid. They were able to take the last three games as a group. Now, they’re just trying to get better.”

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BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

Despite having an enrollment of just 127 students, Juan Diego Academy beat schools of all sizes at the Zapata Tournament over the weekend, winning the title with an undefeated record. The Lady Lions took down a pair of schools with more than 2,600 students, toppling La Joya Juarez-Lincoln and Laredo LBJ.

The tournament is designed to help Juan Diego Academy prepare for the postseason, where the team hopes to claim a TAPPS 1A state title after coming up two games short last season.

“When we go up against those big schools, I just want my girls to get a feel for big school power, and the competition,” coach Vic Garza said. “The result is just the icing on the cake. What I’m looking for is improvement, and competition, and to see how they respond when the competitive levels get a little higher.”

Juan Diego Academy is used to facing stiff competition, advancing to the State TAPPS 1A semifinals last season before falling to San Antonio Gateway Christian.

The Lady Lions lost just three little-used seniors from that team and added a valuable piece to their attack with the transfer of outside hitter Ellie Kittleman from McAllen Memorial.

Senior Jasmine Long, the most valuable player in TAPPS 1A District 6 last year, is back as the Lady Lions do-it-all player, while three-year captain Shelby Fernal continues to be the quarterback of the team from the setter position.

Garza feels he has built a group more equipped to handle the state playoff stage, which he said “got a little too bright” for the Lady Lions last year.

Juan Diego Academy is 9-2 overall after beating Laredo Martin on Wednesday.

“Kittleman gave us a little more attack and a little more firepower, and then our players that were very successful last year gained a whole year and a whole offseason of work,” Garza said. “It’s showing on the court right now. You can see how we fight through little things that last year, we weren’t able to fight through.”

ON THE BIG STAGE

Playing at the Adidas Texas Volleyball Invitational a year ago, Mission Veterans went just 2-5. Coach Diana Lerma saw her team struggle to cope with the superior height of the state’s elite teams.

Getting another crack at the same tournament this year, Mission Veterans was unfazed. The Lady Patriots flipped that mark around, turning in a 5-2 performance to win the Silver Bracket title.

“I was getting goosebumps just watching them,” coach Diana Lerma said. “I was just proud of them, so, so proud of them.”

Going against teams that boasted multiple players taller than 6-foot, the Lady Patriots relied on their defense. They knew they couldn’t block straight on against the taller, harder-hitting players, but they aimed to slow the ball down to open up an opportunity to pass.

More than depending on just big hitters Gabby Lerma, Daisy Reyna and D.D. Ibarra, the Patriots leaned on their secondary attack options, namely Jacqueline Howell.

“Their strength is them understanding their roles,” Lerma said. “It’s hard for them to beat us when we’re all fighting for the same thing.”

SETTLING IN

After entering last year with a new coach and a lot of turnover, Sharyland High has a lot more stability in Year 2 under Raul Castillo.

“It’s always easier in your second year, because you’re used to the girls, and you’re used to the program,” Castillo said. “They get used to you as a coach, so it’s all going to be easier.”

Although the team lost five seniors at the end of last season, the Lady Rattlers also return five starters. Senior Paige Jones is back as the team’s setter, senior Maddie Garza returns at middle blocker, and sophomore Caleigh Hausenfluck reprises her role as the starting libero.

Hannah Kirby is also back but in a different position, moving from right-side hitter to outside hitter after practicing the new spot with her club team during the offseason.

“She’s having to play defense, and she’s having to serve receive more,” Castillo said. “That’s what she’s been doing. She’s stepped it up, and she’s looking good.”

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BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

EDCOUCH — During the third and fourth sets, Edcouch-Elsa’s Samantha Martinez watched from the bench as her team rallied to tie up Edinburg High.

Then, it was her time.

Martinez, one of Edcouch-Elsa’s senior leaders, delivered two kills and made key sets in her return to the court, helping the Lady Yellowjackets take the finial game and complete an 18-25, 23-25, 25-17, 25-23, 15-11 comeback on Tuesday at Edcouch-Elsa.

“When I went back in, I knew I needed to step it up,” Martinez said. “I had to mentally get myself together, and push myself, and help my team get the win.”

Entering the night as Edcouch-Elsa’s leader in kills, aces and assists, Martinez struggled early on.

After two sets she was benched for the third and fourth games by coach Ofelia Griffith, who said she expected more from Martinez.

“Some of the mistakes were just unnecessary,” Griffith said. “Those were mistakes that should not be made not only by a senior player, but by any player.”

Martinez said she took the time to reflect on her errors and mentally get herself together.

Coming in for the fifth game with fresh legs and a clear head, Martinez finished the night with seven kills, 14 assists and seven digs.

“You talk about two games sitting on that bench, I had hoped she was looking and had picked herself up enough to get in there and do what she needed to do,” Griffith said. “And she did.”

Griffith credited underclassmen Alinah Rodriguez (12 assists) and Ashley Galarza for filling the void while Martinez was on the bench, part of a full team effort for the Lady Yellowjackets.

Cassidy Martinez led the team with 17 kills, while Ale Martinez had 12. Maddie Acevedo, Bianca Cardenas and Paloma Ibarra also had at least six kills each. Acevedo led Edcouch-Elsa with 31 digs.

“The team worked really hard, and we all came together to get the win,” Samantha Martinez said. “It felt really good knowing that the team had a lot of heart.”

Edinburg High took the first two sets behind a balanced attack and strong defensive play. For the match, Marissa Arce had 15 kills, Amber Reyes had 14, Tianna Howard had 11, and Dezi Marmolejo had 10.

Libero Elizabeth Olivarez made diving digs again and again in the first two sets, finishing with 50 overall. Marmolejo was also key on defense with 35 digs.

Still, Edcouch-Elsa didn’t fold, regrouping between sets.

“We pumped each other up, we told each other what we need to fix, and we told each other not to give up,” Cassidy Martinez said. “If we gave up, we were going to go down. So we tried to give as much as you can.”

Defense was key for both teams on Tuesday, as they exchanged long rallies for much of the match.

In a game between two teams that finished atop their respective districts last season, Edcouch-Elsa came out ahead of an Edinburg High group that plays two sophomores and a freshman and is still working things out.

“I like the way (Edcouch-Elsa) was playing defense — they weren’t giving up on plays at all,” Edinburg High coach Deanna Dominguez said. “There are still some things that we’re working out on our side, obviously, because we should be able to finish. Definitely, on our part, lack of finish.”

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Volleyball Schedule

Tuesday, Aug. 18

Non-District

Los Fresnos def. McAllen Rowe 25-17, 25-20, 26-24

Grulla def. Rio Grande City 25-20, 25-18, 25-22

Mission Veterans def. Brownsville Veterans 25-22, 25-19, 25-21

Brownsville Porter def. Mission Juan Diego Academy 25-21, 25-20, 25-12.

Mercedes def. La Feria 27-25, 25-16, 23-25, 26-24.

Edinburg Vela def. San Benito 25-19, 25-19, 21-25, 25-19

PSJA High def. Rio Hondo 25-11, 25-13, 25-9

Donna High def. PSJA Memorial 16-25, 23-25, 25-20, 26-24, 15-9

McAllen High def. Brownsville Rivera 25-15, 25-12, 25-19

Donna North def. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 19-25, 25-15, 26-24, 25-9

Mission High def. Weslaco High 25-15, 25-19, 26-24

Sharyland Pioneer def. La Joya High 25-5, 25-14, 25-14

Edcouch-Elsa def. Edinburg High 18-25, 23-25, 25-17, 25-23, 15-11

Valley View def. Weslaco East 25-19, 25-14, 23-25, 25-22

PSJA North def. Hidalgo 25-15, 25-9, 25-16

San Isidro def. Premont 25-21, 14-25, 25-8, 16-25, 15-6

San Perlita def. IDEA Frontier 25-12, 25-16, 25-22

La Feria at Edinburg IDEA Academy, not reported

Lyford at Raymondville, not reported

La Joya Palmview at Brownsville Hanna, not reoprted

McAllen Memorial at Harlingen South, not reported

Frontier Academy at San Perlita, not reported

Sharyland High at Port Isabel, not reported

Brownsville Lopez at Brownsville Pace, not reported

Monte Alto at Progreso, not reported

Laredo LBJ at Roma, not reporetd

Aug. 20-22

North East Invitatoinal Tournament at San Antonio

Mission Veterans Tournament

Port Isabel Tournament

Floresville Varsity Tournament

Saturday, Aug. 22

San Perlita at Santa Rosa, 11 a.m.

La Feria vs. Rio Hondo, TBA

Tuesday’s Matches

Non-District

SHARYLAND PIONEER DEF. LA JOYA HIGH

25-5, 25-14, 25-14

SHARYLAND PIONEER — Audrey Smith 7 assists, 2 kills, 2 aces; Maddie Hatzold 3 aces, 7 kills; Brooke Garza 6 kills, 6 digs; Mariah Youngblood 5 kills; Elisa Lopez 12 digs.

LA JOYA HIGH — Not reported.

RECORDS — Sharyland Pioneer 6-4; La Joya High not reported.

MISSION VETERANS DEF. BROWNSVILLE VETERANS

25-22, 25-19, 25-21

MISSION VETERANS — Gabrielle Lerma 16 kills, 16 digs, 1 block; D.D. Ibarra 8 kills, 18 assists, 20 digs, 1 block; Daisy Reyna 9 kills, 5 digs, 1 block; Mariah Gonzalez 26 digs; Karina Garcia 8 assists, 1 ace, 11 digs.

BROWNSVILLE VETERANS — Not reported.

RECORDS — Mission Veterans 7-2; Brownsville Veterans not reported.

MISSION HIGH DEF. WESLACO HIGH

25-15, 25-19, 26-24

MISSION HIGH — Lisette Vela 6 kills, 8 blocks; Maria Garcia 10 kills, 7 assists, 13 digs; Emily Alvarado 10 points, 13 assists; Clarissa Gonzalez 4 kills, 7 points; Kazzy Rodriguez 9 points, 22 digs; Litzy Vivas 3 kills.

WESLACO HIGH — Not reported.

RECORD — Not reported.

PSJA NORTH DEF. HIDALGO

25-15, 25-9, 25-16

PSJA NORTH — Sam Enriquez 32 assists; Karla Mulo 5 kills; Stephanie Christen 17 kills, 3 aces; Belle Palacios 6 kills, 4 digs

HIDALGO — Not reported.

RECORD — Not reported

DONNA HIGH DEF. PSJA MEMORIAL

16-25, 23-25, 25-20, 26-24, 15-9

DONNA HIGH — Melanie Arenas 27 kills, 3 aces, 17 digs, 4 blocks; Adrianna Martinez 47 assists, 31 digs; Sarah Gonzalez 22 kills, 4 blocks; Kara Yanez 62 digs.

PSJA MEMORIAL — Not reported.

RECORDS — Donna High 8-1; PSJA Memorial not reported.

MERCEDES DEF. LA FERIA

27-25, 25-16, 23-25, 26-24

MERCEDES — Roslynn Rodriguez 8 kills, 2 blocks; Caitlyn Gutierrez 9 kills, 26 digs; Felicia Garza 4 kills,k 10 digs, 8 points; Alexa Pena 15 points, 41 digs.

LA FERIA — Not reported.

RECORDS — Not reported.

EDINBURG VELA DEF. SAN BENITO

25-19, 25-19, 21-25, 25-19

EDINBURG VELA — Jaida Muhammad 13 kills, 23 digs; Nicole Avelar 18 kills, 8 digs; Julissa Cuellar 18 assists, 7 points; Dylann Guerra 28 digs, 8 points.

SAN BENITO — Not reported.

RECORDS — Edinburg Vela 10-2; San Benito not reported.

McALLEN HIGH DEF. BROWNSVILLE RIVERA

25-15, 25-12, 25-19

McALLEN HIGH — Carter Helmcamp 12 assists, 5 kills; Sydney Pemelton 9 kills, 5 block kills; Lexi Giusti 14 assists, 3 kills, 1 block kill; Allison Amaya 6 digs; Kellie Woodin 17 digs; Julia Monday 10 kills.

BROWNSVILLE RIVERA — Not reported.

RECORDS — McAllen High not reported; Brownsville Rivera not reported.

BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

MISSION — La Joya Juarez-Lincoln coach Tommy Garcia estimates that senior Robert Gonzalez will play about 90 percent of the team’s snaps this season.

In part, the decision is a result of talent. Gonzalez is one of the team’s fastest players and was part of a 400-meter relay team that was the Valley’s best last track season.

After two strong years earned him the title of captain of the Huskies’ secondary, he’s being shifted to running back to try to help a sputtering offense.

“He’s one of our best players, if not our best player,” Garcia said.

But Gonalez’s move is also born out of necessity. Coming out in full pads for the first time on Friday, the Huskies ran a joint varsity and JV practice and still mustered just 56 players. Overcoming that numbers disadvantage is going to be the biggest challenge for Juarez-Lincoln, which enters 2015 looking to rebound from last year’s 0-10 season.

“We’re going to put the best 11 guys on the field,” Garcia said, “and the only way we’re going to win ball games is if Robert plays both ways.”

Although the UIL lists Juarez-Lincoln’s enrollment as District 30-6A’s largest with 2,614.5 students, Garcia said getting kids out for football has been a challenge. He tries with the soccer players, but “after they get hit, they don’t want to play,” he said. Roaming the halls and visiting lunch periods hasn’t been much help, either.

“They don’t understand that if you stick with it, eventually we’re going to go places,” Garcia said. “I know there are kids in the halls. My job is to go out there and get them.”

The Huskies are also missing players for a variety of other reasons. Garcia said a few players are working outside the Valley and won’t be back until school starts on Aug. 24. One of those is top wideout Carlos Serna, who is still in Houston.

Another starter could only practice for 45 minutes Friday before he had to leave for work. And then there are injuries, like defensive lineman Abram Aguilar, who will be out a few more weeks recovering from a torn ACL.

“It’s pretty tough not having that many players, but as coach said, we can only have the best 11 on the field,” quarterback Obed Fernandez said. “So we’re going to go with that.”

The Huskies are adjusting by implementing a quick whistle during workouts and changing the way they run defense. With only a handful of linebackers on the roster, Juarez-Lincoln is likely to switch to a 4-2 look up front. Of those six players, four will be sophomores.

But Juarez-Lincoln still has hope for a turnaround in 2015. The Huskies opened their first padded practice with a spirited Oklahoma drill, one Gonzalez said boosted the energy level for the rest of the day’s session.

What Juarez-Lincoln will lack in depth, Garcia hopes they can make up with that energy.

“The excitement was there,” Garcia said. “It’s like I told the coaches and the kids right now: We don’t have the numbers, but I have 30 solid kids I’ll put up against anybody.”

STRONG SPOT

With four starters back, the offensive line projects to be Juarez-Lincoln’s biggest strength in 2015. Because of that, the Huskies plan to run the ball more than they did last season, when they called mostly quick hitting passes to try to take pressure off the line.

“Our philosophy has always been that we’re going to take it to them, and I want that to transfer over to our offensive line,” Garcia said. “We’re going to dictate the pace of the game offensively, and it starts with the offensive line.”

SOPHOMORE STUD?

Garcia said he was excited about the potential of sophomore running back Adonis Barillas. Although Barillas enters the year as a backup, he has great speed to make up for his short stature.

“We’re expecting some huge things from him,” Garcia said. “He’s got great vision. I think he’ll be the surprise in our district as far as running back.”

SOUND SECONDARY

While the defensive line and linebackers remain in flux, the Huskies secondary is full of veterans. Gonzalez, Andrew Rodriguez and Luis Jasso highlight the group. Sophomore Elias Gutierrez is also expected to start.

“I feel like we’re a really strong unit,” Jasso said. “You can tell we’ve been working really, really hard since this summer.”

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PROGNOSIS

With so few players on the roster of a team that was already struggling, projecting many wins this season is difficult. Juarez-Lincoln has to hope the offensive line and secondary can carry the Huskies.

Projected 2015 Record: 1-9

TENURE

Coach: Tommy Garcia

Year at school: Fourth

Record: 9-21

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Check out more stories from The Monitor’s 16-day Two-A-Day Tour:

Weslaco East

Roma

La Joya High

Weslaco High

PSJA North

Grulla

La Villa

Monte Alto

Valley View

Hidalgo

McAllen Rowe

La Joya Palmview

PSJA Southwest

Mission High

Mercedes